Associating a networked entity, such as a device, with either an application and/or a controlling function may increase the capability of the networked device. Additionally networking a device to a network may lower costs and/or allow for more flexibility. For example, a vending machine may operate as a standalone device having the electronics and equipment necessary for accepting change, reading and identifying currency bills, dispensing, etc. However, by connecting the vending machine to a network and associating it to another networked entity, such as an application for controlling the machine, may allow for production of a lower cost machine. For example, a networked machine may only need a bill reader that sends the data to an application to verify if the bill is acceptable. Using the network would allow the machine to have less electronics as the computation for bill validation may now be done at a centralized place rather than being done in every machine. Additionally, network control allows for more flexibility. For example, when the face on the dollar bill changed, each independent machine bill changer had to be reprogrammed locally. If the machine was networked for this function, then a single change at the network level was available to every such networked machine. Additional functions may also be added to machines. For example, in an airport where various currencies may be in use, a networked machine would be able to identify the currency, calculate the exchange rate, prompt the user as to purchase status, and even display instructions in other languages, etc.
Thus, networked devices have a variety of potential advantages. However, the association of a device with an application and/or controlling function may present a challenge. If the device is hardwired into an interface this is inflexible. If the device is dedicated to an application this may also be inflexible. If the device may only access a single resource then availability may be downgraded if the resource is off-line. This presents a problem.